Train-pipe coupling.



J. & G. E. SULLIVAN.

TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION 1 1mm JULY 23, 1910 980; 1 35, Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

Inventors I n- I Attorneys JOSIAH SULLIVAN AND CHARLES E. SULLIVAN, OF MQCOOK, NEBRASKA.

TRAIN-PIPE COUPLING.'

Specification of Letters .Patent.

Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

Application filed July as, 1910. fflerial no. 573,405.

To allwhom it may concern:

Be itknown that we, JOSIAH SULLIVAN and CHARLES E. SULLIVAN, citizens of the United States, residing at McCook, in the county of 'Redwillow, State of Nebraska,

have invented a new and useful Train-Pipe Coupler, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object of-this invention to provide, in a simple, merchantable and inexpensive form, a coupling device for train pipes, so constructed that when the cars are brought together, the coupling of the train pipes will be automatically efi'ected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coupling device of the sort hereinbefore ment1oned, so constructed that when cars are brought together, a continuous passage through the train pipes will be secured, this continuous passage being broken as soon as the cars are separated.

vide a. coupling times be axia ly alined to impinge upon another similar coupling,' the couplings, however, being so mounted that a continuous train pipe passage may be maintained even when the cars are rounding a curve of extremely small radius.

The drawings show typical embodiments merely, and it is to be understood that changes, properly falling within the S00 e of what is claimed, may be made without ei I ber eing parting from the spiritpf the invention.

In t e drawings,-F gure 1 shows the invention in side elevation; Fig.:2 is a lon itudinal section of one of the coupling e ements; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the coupling elements; Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section upon the line A-B of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a fragmental horizontal section of the tubular coupling member.

In the drawings, the car body is denoted generally by the numeral 1. Secured to the lower face of the car body, are spaced beams 2, disposed longitudinally of the car body. These beams 2 are connected by an angle "plate, hereinafter referred to as the support, the horizontal flange 3 of the angle plate being bolted or otherwise secured to the beams 2, the other flange 4 of the angle plate depending in vertical position beneath the car. This angle plate, together with the beams 2, serves to define a channel in which the ool iplling beam-5 may be slidabl mounted.

e invention further inclu es a tubular coupling member, denoted by the numeral 6. This tubular cou ling member 6 comprises a rtion 7 an a portion 8, the rtion 8 being slightly larger in diameter t an the portion 7 T e portion 7 is inserted through a suitable opening in the vertical flange 4 of the an le plate, this opening in the vertical flan e ing of sufiicient size so that the reduce portion 7 of the coupling member may have a swiveled movement therein.

The difference in diameter between the f portions 7 and 8 of the tubular coupling member, results in the formation. of a shoulder 9 upon the outside of the said coupling member, and in the formation of a shoulder 10 upon the inside of the said coupling memher. The shoulder 9 is adapted to bear Another object of the invention is to profor train pipes, so devised that. the cou ling upon one car will at all Y a ainst the rear face of the vertical flange 4 o the an le plate.

Secur to the forward end of the tubular coupling member is a head, the same comprising an outstanding flange 11 and a re silient disk- 12, resting against the flange. The disk 12 is surrounded by a band 14, and is dished, as shown at 15, upon its forward face. The portion 7 of the tubular couplin member is extended through the disk 12, an through a plate 16, hearing a ainst the forward face of the disk 12, the orwar'd end of the ortion 7 of the tubular couplin membutt ended, as at 17, 01 ot erwise equipped, to hold the disk-12firmly a ainst the ange 11. The portion 7 of the ca ular coupling member is surrounded by a compression spring 18, the forward end of which ears against the flange 11, the rear end of the compression sprin 18 hearing against the washer 19, surroun ing the portion 7 of the coupling member, the washer 19 bearing against the forward .face of the vertical flange t of the angle plate. At this may be stated that the spring 18, caring against the head formed b51 the members 11 and 12, serves to hold the oulder 9 against the rear face of the vertical flange of the angle plate, and since this shoulder 9 is disposed m a plane substantially normal to the axis of the tubular coupling member, the coupling member will be held yieldingly in position to engage with a simllar coupling oint it broken when the train rounds a curve. D1sposed'transversely in the portion 7 of the tubular coupling members, are spaced.

tion 7 of the tubular coupling member is mounted for swivel movement in the vertical flange 4 of the angle plate, the contact between the disk 12 of .one car and the corresponding disk of another car, will not be guides 20 in which a valve stem is mounted for sliding movement. This valve stem con sists of arod 21, the forward end of which protrudes beyond the discharge end ofthe coupling member, the protruding end of the rod '21 being provided with a suitable head 22, adapted to impinge the like head upon another car. The rear end of therod 21 carries a piston 23, adapted to reciprocate in the portion 8 of the tubular couplingmember. A spring 24 is located within the portion 8 of the tubular coupling member, this spring 24, at its forward end, bearing against the piston 23, to hold the same yieldingly in contact with the shoulder 10 formed upon the inside of the coupling member by the difference in diameterbetween the parts 7 and 8. The rear end of the spring 24 abuts against the ca 25, threaded or otherwise sev cured, remova ly, to the rear .end of theportion 8. By removing this cap 25, access may be had to the interior of the part 8 of the coupling member, for the purpose of repairing and for cleaning the device. The portion 8 of the coupling memberis provided with an inlet port 26, this inlet port 26 being positioned between the shoulder 10 and the cap 25, the inlet port 26,communicating with the train pipe 27. 7

. By referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the spring 24 acts to hold the piston 23 against the shoulder 10, and between the inletport 26 and the discharge end of the coupling member. Thus, when the cars are uncoupled, air cannot pass through the tubu larcoupling member. When, however, the cars are brought together, as shown in Fig. 1, the head 22 upon one car will engage with the head 22'upon a similar car, causing the rods 21 to slide rearwardly, and disposing the pistons 23 between; the inlet ports 26 andthe caps 25. By this operation, a continuous train pipe connection will be effected through all 'of the cars which are coupled together. However, should one or more cars be detached from the train, the spring 24 will act promptly to dispose the piston 23 in the positionshown inFi 2, thereby preventing the e ress of air mm the tubular coupling mem er.

in the formation of the shoulders9 and 10, the shoulder 9 be ing effective to maintain the,

axis of the tubular coupling member in proper relation. for coupling, and the shoulder 10 serving as an abutment for the piston 23. A train equipped with the train pipe coupling mechanism herein disclosed, may be uncoupled and coupled together at will, the train pipe connection being automatically continued from carto car, as the coupling operation is effected. 1 Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a support; a tubular couplin member slidable in the support and provi'ed with an inlet port; a valve having a stem protruding at oneendbeyond the discharge end of the coupling member; means for yieldingly holding the valve between the port and the discharge end of the coupling member, the

coupling member being enlarged in diameter intermediate its ends, to define in the interior thereof a shoulder to receive the valve, and. to define upon the exterior of the coupling member a shoulder to bear against the support; and resilient means for normally holding the said shoulder in contact with the support. 7

2. In a deviceof the class described, a car body; spaced beams extended longitudinally of the car body; an angle plate having one of its flanges connecting the beams to definewith the beams a channel for the reception of a coupling beam, the other flange of the angle plate being disposed in 'upri ht position beneath the .car body; a

tubu ar coupling member swiveled in the upright flange of the angle plate; a head, secured to the forward end of the coupling member; resilient means for actuating the head away from the upright flange of the angle plate; and means engaging the upright flange of the angle plate to maintain the axis of. the coupling member normally at right angles thereto. p

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, we havehereto aflixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSIAH SULLIVAN. CHARLES E. SULLIVAN.

Signed by Josiah Sullivan in presence of H. BOYLE, C. E. ELDRED. .Signed by Charles'E. Sullivan in pres ence of C. K. PUTNAM, A. B. YOUNG. 

